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THE CHURCH: Continued: The parents need to support the church by being faithful the services and activities; Parents must support the church by modeling submission to God-Ordained authorityView the full article

THE CHURCH: Marks of a church that "Keeps the Kids": Continued: A church that seeks to build strong families; A compassionate church; a Christ-centered church with Spiritual depth; A church that exercises disciplineView the full article

SEPARATION: UNPLUGGED FROM THE POP CULTURE continued: Suggestions for Young Adults; Suggestions for Parents: Suggestions for Churches; SEPARATION & UNION: Separation is a HEART issue; Separation is a matter of REPLACEMENT: Flee and Follow: Separate unto goodness; Separate unto The Bible; Parents need to give their children a love for Christ-centered leaning; It's not only separating from the wrong things BUT also separating unto the good thingsView the full article

The name Shubal Stearns is familiar to students of Baptist history. And it is familiar to the church family at Buffalo Ridge Baptist Church, where I preached yesterday. Shubal Stearns was saved under the preaching of George Whitfield during the American Great Awakening. After his salvation, Stearns, through study of Scripture, became a Baptist. A few years later, in 1755, he planted the Sandy Creek Baptist Church in North Carolina. As Stearns preached the gospel, God blessed, and what became known as the Sandy Creek Revival swept the region. Within three years, the church had baptized over nine hundred new converts. Stearns began itinerant preaching trips which resulted in many salvations and hundreds of new Baptist churches planted. One of the people who were saved and discipled under the ministry of Stearns was Tidence Lane. In 1779, during the middle of the War for Independence, Lane moved to Tennessee and planted the first Baptist church on Tennessee soil—Buffalo Ridge Baptist Church. That was 244 years ago. Today, this church is not only the oldest Baptist church in Tennessee, but it continues to flourish. Over the past 244 years, this church has had thirty-two pastors, including the present pastor, John Herdman, who is doing a tremendous job. Sometimes when we think of pastoral succession, we think only in terms of the replacement of people. But the most important element in succession is the transference of truth. The Buffalo Ridge Baptist Church is an example of the transference of truth that God designed the local church to carry out. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. (2 Timothy 2:2) And what is especially exciting about this church is that nearly 250 years later, the truth is still being proclaimed. Yesterday, the gospel was preached, people were saved, people were baptized, and the work of the ministry continues. It’s especially joyful to me that West Coast Baptist College graduates have a part in this story. Currently, there are two WCBC graduates serving on pastoral staff with their wives, who are also WCBC graduates. In the 1960s, the church moved to a new property with room to build, but the original church cemetery remains. As I walked through it, I read the gravestones of people who died in the 1800s, including the second pastor of the church, who had loved the Lord and been faithful to Him since the early days of that church. As I think today of the great need around our nation for new churches, especially in major cities where there are millions of people and only a few Baptist churches, I pray that God will raise up a new generation of Tidence Lanes—men who will find an area in need of a gospel witness, plant their feet, preach the gospel, disciple new converts, and start a legacy of faithfulness for a new church family. View the full article

One of the highlights to me of World Impact Missions Conference at Lancaster Baptist Church is seeing missionaries who grew up at Lancaster Baptist and/or graduated from West Coast Baptist College and and are now serving the Lord on mission fields around the world. (The picture above is of WCBC alumni who were here for Missions Conference ’23 earlier this week and are now planting churches around the world.) The Lord has allowed us to see many young people from our own church family—kids who grew up right here in our Sunday school classes and, in many cases, whose parents trusted Christ through the outreach ministry of our church—who are now preaching the gospel in foreign countries. Additionally, there are hundreds of WCBC alumni serving the Lord on over forty foreign fields. One of the trends that concerns me, however, is a decline of young people across America surrendering their lives to missions. The world population is growing, but fewer American young people seem burdened to reach the world with the gospel. Certainly God is still calling young people to surrender their lives to preach the gospel. Why then does it seem that fewer are responding? There are certainly many contributing factors we could cite to answer that question. But I believe there are four simple areas of emphasis that could change the trend. And when these four are working together, they can bring a monumental shift. What is needed to raise up a new generation of missionaries? 1. Parents who believe it would be a privilege if God calls their child Children are the gift of God and entrusted by God to parents to raise for God’s honor and glory. Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate. (Psalm 127:3–5) Yet, too often Christian parents raise their children with goals of personal satisfaction. These parents are measuring by the world’s goals of financial security and career success. It’s good for young people to grow up knowing that their parents’ greatest goal for their lives is that they would serve God in whatever way He calls them—including the foreign field. It’s good for young people to grow up knowing that their parents’ greatest goal for their lives is that they would serve God in whatever way He calls them—including the foreign field. Click To Tweet 2. Churches that emphasize missions In Acts 13–14, we read of the first organized program for missions in the New Testament. It began as the church at Antioch sent out Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey. After preaching the gospel through many cities and establishing churches, Paul and Barnabas returned to report on all that God had done. And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles. (Acts 14:27) Can you picture what it was like for the children and young people listening to this first missionary report? They heard about the hardships and the blessings, and I can imagine the sense of wonder and even adventure that Paul’s stories stirred in their hearts. No doubt some of them eventually became missionaries themselves. One of the great strengths of the independent Baptist model of missions, based on Acts 13–14, in which a church sends out missionaries who then come back and report of all God has done on the field, is that young people are exposed to missionaries on a regular basis. To raise up a new generation of missionaries, churches need to keep the great mission of the church—“Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15)—before young people. Encourage children to pray for missionaries. Host regular missions conferences. And highlight the need for laborers in spiritually-dark places around the world. To raise up a new generation of missionaries, churches need to keep the great mission of the church—“Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15)—before young people. Click To Tweet 3. Christian schools with vibrant chapel services, emphasizing a life of surrender to Jesus In Acts 13, it was the Holy Spirit who called Paul and Barnabas to the work of missions. As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. (Acts 13:2) But this calling happened in an environment of total dedication to Christ and service for the Lord. These were people who were already ministering to the Lord and fasting. Effective Christian schools are not just a place to keep your children from the harmful influences of secular education and cultural brainwashing. They are places that proactively encourage a life of surrender to the Lord and are filled with teachers who model the joy of serving Christ. Effective Christian schools are not just a place to keep children from the harmful influences of secular education. They are places that proactively encourage a life of surrender to the Lord. Click To Tweet 4. Bible colleges led by soulwinning pastors and instructors who teach missions and bring missionaries to campus It was striking to hear how many of our West Coast Baptist College alumni who came as missionaries to this year’s conference mentioned that they had sensed God’s call to missions during their time at WCBC. Several even mentioned that it was during one of the Lancaster Baptist Church missions conferences. Many young people who have surrendered to serve the Lord in full time ministry do not know right after high school in what capacity God would have them serve. Whether or not they ultimately serve as missionaries, being in a Bible college environment where missions is emphasized will strengthen their understanding of and commitment to being part of the Great Commission of Christ to go into all nations with the gospel. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:19–20) About a year and a half ago, while hosting Spiritual Leadership Conference Egypt, I had the opportunity to visit the gravesite of William Borden in Cairo. Borden was a young American missionary living in Egypt to learn Arabic while preparing to preach the gospel to Muslim people in China. While still in Egypt, he contracted meningitis and died at age twenty-five. As Terrie and I walked through the American cemetery there in Cairo, I was stirred to see the gravesites of other missionaries as well, many who, like Borden, gave their lives for the sake of the gospel on foreign soil. I couldn’t help but pray that God will raise up a new generation of men and women who will fully and freely surrender their lives to the spread of the gospel around the world. Pray that God will raise up a new generation of men and women who will fully and freely surrender their lives to the spread of the gospel around the world. Click To Tweet Whether you are a parent, pastor, Sunday school teacher, Christian educator, or someone with any other influence in young people’s lives, I challenge you consider how you can be part of helping young people obey the instruction of Christ to “Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest” (John 4:35). View the full article

From the early moments of church history, we see glimpses of the kind of leaders the Lord desires to be present within His church. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. (Acts 6:3) That phrase “look ye out among you” is significant because it shows that these qualities are not to be present in pastors only but also among godly Christians within a local church family. As a pastor, I have emphasized the developing of biblical leaders that passionately model the life of Christ in the local church. Although I know it is important that I provide servant, pastoral leadership for our church family, it’s also important that I am not the only spiritual leader in our church. Every man or woman who leads in any capacity—whether that be as a parent, a Sunday school teacher, or a one-on-one discipler—should be displaying qualities of spiritual leadership. There are several passages we could look to for a list of qualities that would be present in a spiritual leader. Acts 6 is one. (See “Six Biblical Criteria for Selecting Ministry Leaders.”) But in this post, I’d like to highlight five qualities from various New Testament passages. 1. Filled with the Spirit We know that the moment we trust Christ as our Savior, the Holy Spirit indwells us. (See Ephesians 1:13–14.) Thus, every saved person possesses the Holy Spirit. However, not every saved person is possessed by the Holy Spirit. Scripture specifically instructs us to “be filled with the Spirit.” And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; (Ephesians 5:18) To be “filled with” something is to be controlled by it. A person who is filled with wine is controlled by the wine. A person who is filled with the Spirit is controlled by the Holy Spirit. The natural leader is self-confident, but the spiritual leader is God–reliant. This reliance on God keeps spiritual leaders from walking in pride and the limits of their own strength. Instead, they walk in the power of the Holy Spirit and His strength. The natural leader is self-confident, but the spiritual leader is God-reliant. Click To Tweet Charles Spurgeon said, “Without the Spirit of God we can do nothing. We are as ships without wind. Like branches without sap, we are withered. Like coals without fire, we are useless. 2. Yielded to the Spirit One of the five commands in the New Testament related to the Holy Spirit is to “walk in the Spirit.” This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16) (The other four commands are to “Quench not the Spirit,” 1 Thessalonians 5:19; “grieve not the holy Spirit,” Ephesians 4:30; pray in the Spirit, Jude 1:20; and “be filled with the Spirit,” Ephesians 5:18.) The command to “walk in the Spirit” emphasizes the step-by-step, moment-by-moment aspect of yielding to the Holy Spirit. It emphasizes a daily walk with God and a responsiveness to the promptings He brings to our spirit through His Word. For instance, if the Holy Spirit prompts me to witness to somebody, usually with a reminder of His command to “preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15), if I’m walking in the Spirit, I’ll respond immediately and share the gospel with that person. The same is true of His prompting to forgive someone, to reach out to someone He brings to mind, to put feet to a commitment He has previously led me to make, to resist temptation, or to act in obedience to Him in any other way. Because spiritual leaders are filled with and yielded to the Holy Spirit, they don’t need long lists of rules or external guidelines to live godly lives. They are looking to Scripture and responding to the Holy Spirit in order to walk in holiness. At our church, we have leadership requirements for those who serve in various leadership capacities. But frankly, those lists, based on scriptural commands such as being active in our witness and living with a godly testimony, are largely unnecessary for Spirit-filled, Spirit-yielded leaders. This is because if we are walking in the Spirit, we cannot also be walking in the flesh. If we are walking in the Spirit, we cannot also be walking in the flesh. Click To Tweet 3. Passionate in Holiness Spiritual leaders are not half-hearted in their pursuit of God. They seek Him in sincerity and with a consuming desire to know Him better. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13) Part of this pursuit of God is a passion for holiness. As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. (1 Peter 1:14–16) What does it mean to live with holiness in our lives? I love what John Brown, a nineteenth-century theologian, said on this: “Holiness does not consist in mystic speculations, enthusiastic fervours, or uncommanded austerities; it consists in thinking as God thinks, and willing as God wills” (emphasis added). A leader in pursuit of holiness is consistently asking, “What does God say about this? What does God want me to do? What course of action here would best reflect the holiness of God to others?” 4. Restorative in Relationships Spiritual leaders have a heart for others because God does. And their goal in leading others is to help people along on God’s agenda for their lives. In other words, spiritual leaders aren’t using others to build up themselves; they are expending themselves to build others. Spiritual leaders aren’t using others to build up themselves; they are expending themselves to build others. Click To Tweet Building up others often involves restoration. Sometimes it’s seeking to restore a fallen brother by reaching out to him and inviting him back through a path of repentance and restoration. Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:1–2 Sometimes it involves the restoration of forgiveness when someone has specifically wronged us. Or it may be helping to facilitate repentance, forgiveness, and restoration between two other parties. And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:32) 5. Gracious toward Others God’s grace in our hearts is both the motivating and enabling force of our own Christian growth. A spiritual leader full of grace will also be gracious toward others. Here we circle back to Acts 6 and to Stephen who was one of those first deacons chosen. The Bible describes him as “a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost” (verse 5). Later in the same chapter, the Bible tells us “And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel” (verse 15). This was just before Stephen preached one of the great salvation messages in the New Testament and was subsequently stoned “calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep” (Acts 7:59–60). What a picture of grace! Gracious servant leaders are growing leaders who speak the truth—including the gospel itself—in love. They don’t hold back from speaking the truth. But they rely on God’s grace to enable them to give truth with love. But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. (Ephesians 4:15–16) Bible-believing churches need to be filled with this kind of spiritual leaders: men and women who are filled with the Spirit, yielded to the Spirit, passionate in holiness, restorative in relationships, and gracious toward others. Are you this kind of leader? View the full article

Our news feeds this week are dominated by dark events—particularly of the nation of Israel where Islamic terrorists coordinated a brutal attack and are continuing to commit atrocities. From a biblical standpoint, we know that since God’s original promise to Abraham, He has graciously set apart Israel as His own people. Through Israel, God brought Christ into the world and thus used His people to bless all people (Genesis 12:3). Yet, through the centuries, Israel spurned God’s favor toward her, including in rejecting Christ as their Messiah. Even so, God has always had a desire to redeem Israel. And prophetically, we know there will be a day when Israel believes in her Messiah and turns to Christ. (I’ve written previously about that on this blog as well as in the book Understanding the Times.) But even before the coming of Christ in Bethlehem, the book of Esther gives us an amazing picture of God’s heart for Israel as well as His sovereignty in every moment of history—including today, including in your life. Do you ever feel forgotten by God? Do you wonder if He still knows your address? If He has a plan for your life? If He is able to help with your needs? Do you ever feel discouraged while looking at the state of our nation? Do you wonder where the speedily declining moral degradation will end? In short, do you wonder if God is in control? If He is willing and able to meet your needs? The doctrine of God’s sovereignty is good news for weary, fearful, or discouraged Christians. It assures that our lives and the world itself is not slipping away from a loving but helpless God. It reminds us that He is in control, and He is committed to making all things work together for our good and His glory. The doctrine of God’s sovereignty is good news for weary, fearful, or discouraged Christians. Click To Tweet God’s sovereignty—His position as Ruler of all—is stated emphatically throughout Scripture. But it is demonstrated vividly in the story of Esther. Remarkably, the book of Esther doesn’t even mention God’s name, but His hand is so clearly seen in this intricate unfolding of events that it has encouraged untold Christians to trust in the Lord and His good and kind sovereignty. Notice a few of the truths related to God’s sovereignty we learn from Esther’s life: 1. Human power is always limited. Esther lived in a world of heathen despotism. Worse still, the king who publicly humiliated his wife because she stood up to him became Esther’s husband. And the king’s closest advisor, Haman, was a sworn enemy of the Jews. Yet, despite the wickedness of evil men, God had His way. He let Ahasuerus and Haman go just so far and then used their own desires to accomplish His purposes in preserving and prospering His people. Proverbs 21:1 tells us, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.” Here in America, we don’t live in a dictatorship, and I believe Christians have the responsibility to participate in electing leaders who most closely align with biblical values. But we also should not wring our hands in despair when ungodly leaders are elected or those in power are corrupt. For there is still a King in Heaven Who reigns supreme. And even the most powerful rulers on earth are limited by the decrees and purposes of God. Even the most powerful rulers on earth are limited by the decrees and purposes of God. Click To Tweet “Remember this, and shew yourselves men: bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors. Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure” (Isaiah 46:8–10). 2. God’s timing is impeccable. The basic story of Esther is simple: a Jewish orphan girl grows up to be the queen of Persia and saves her people from destruction. But the story’s plot is complex, involving multiple subplots that integrate at key moments. For instance, Mordacai was in the right place at the right time to hear the assassination plot of the king’s chamberlains. Furthermore, the king could not sleep on the very night that Haman came for permission to kill Mordacai, and that just happened to be the night Ahasuerus had been reflecting on Mordecai’s kindness. Had any one of these—or several other—events happened earlier or later, the story could have ended differently. Like many other biblical events, Esther’s story showcases the perfect timing of God. He is never late, and He is never surprised. The God who sent His Son into our world in “the fulness of the time” (Galatians 4:4) is not oblivious to the timing in your life either. You can confidently pray with David, “But I trusted in thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my God. My times are in thy hand . . .” (Psalm 31:14–15). The God who sent His Son into our world in “the fulness of the time” (Galatians 4:4) is not oblivious to the timing in your life. You can trust Him. Click To Tweet 3. You get to be part of God’s sovereign plan. When it comes to God’s sovereignty, we have a tendency to lean to extremes as if all elements are either/or choices. We think that either God will perform His plans, or our choices are meaningful. In reality, both are true. God will perform His plans, and our choices are meaningful. Perhaps the most-quoted phrase from the book of Esther is from Mordecai’s encouragement to Esther to act: “For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14). Mordecai’s confidence in God’s sovereignty didn’t lead him to a lackadaisical attitude toward the tragically unfolding events around him. Rather, his faith compelled action. He reminded Esther that God would keep His promises, but she had a choice in being involved. For Esther’s part, she fasted and presumably prayed in recognition of her dependence on God’s intervention. And then she acted. Valuing a cause greater than her own life, she went into the king’s presence to make her request. Yet, even in her dependence on God, Esther was perceptive and measured in how she approached the king. Rather than just blurting out an accusation against Haman, she craftily drew out the king’s intrigue and set the stage for a moment that called out his sense of valor. So is it God’s sovereignty or our actions that make a difference in the unfolding of God’s purposes? Both! The incredible reality is that God uses people—you and me—to make a difference in this world. Is it God’s sovereignty or our actions that make a difference in the unfolding of God’s purposes? Both! Click To Tweet 4. God has a purpose for your life at “such a time as this.” When your life seems to be careening out of control, when challenges mount around you, when the choices of others negatively affect you, remember God’s sovereignty. Remember that human power is always limited, God’s timing is impeccable, and you get to be part of God’s sovereign plan. Stabilize your soul in remembering God’s sovereignty, and then, trusting in Him and depending on His strength, choose to engage in making a difference for Christ right where you are. Stabilize your soul in the sovereignty of God. Click To Tweet If these truths are an encouragement to you, you will love the God’s Got This small group Bible study. This eight-week study, just released from Striving Together Publications, includes a Leader Guide, Study Guide, and Media Download. View the full article

Forty years ago today, I was ordained into the gospel ministry. As I look back over the past four decades, I say with the apostle Paul, “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry” (1 Timothy 1:12). Aside from my salvation and my family, there has been no greater joy in life than to serve Christ as a preacher of the gospel. Of course, I can’t look back at that day without thanking God for Terrie who stood at my side that evening…and still loves and supports me. A godly wife who serves as a partner and friend in life and ministry is an indescribably precious gift. As I’ve been reflecting on these past forty years, I started jotting down things the Lord has taught me. Some I already knew and believed before starting in ministry but believe now with the added conviction of experience. Some I learned along the way. I share this list here partly to testify of God’s faithfulness and largely to encourage anyone else in ministry who may be helped by reading through these truths. They are in no particular order. God is faithful and trustworthy. God has never failed to keep His promises. He has been faithful and true, and I have never regretted trusting Him. God’s Word is powerful and changes lives. Sometimes my grown sons look at my preaching outlines from thirty-five and forty years ago and shake their heads. Let’s just say I’ve grown as an expository preacher over the years. But even in those early days with sparse outlines and fewer cross references or in-depth study, I was preaching God’s Word. And God used it to change lives. I never want to preach less than the Spirit-inspired, life-changing Word of God. (See 2 Timothy 4:2 and Hebrews 4:12.) The church belongs to Christ, and He will build His church. I remember our first week in Lancaster when I had knocked on over 500 doors…and still had not seen anyone trust Christ. But it was that Saturday night that our daughter Danielle was saved. And she was the first person my first Sunday as pastor. I’ve learned over the years that if I will be diligent in obeying Christ’s command to witness, He will give the increase. (See Matthew 16:18 and 1 Corinthians 3:6–7.) Discipleship is part of the Great Commission. Every healthy church disciples new believers. It might not be in a specified one-on-one program, and they might not even call it “discipleship.” But helping new Christians grow in their faith is an essential element of the Great Commission. As our church became more intentional in a one-on-one discipleship program, we saw more new Christians flourish. (See John 8:31.) The church can get another pastor; you can’t get another wife. An older, wiser pastor made that statement to me when I was focused on the exploding growth of our church. It was a reminder of my God-given priorities as a husband and father first. Ministry and family do not need to be in competition. It’s possible to have a thriving family and growing ministry. Ideally this happens as you involve your family in serving together. Ultimately it happens as you rely on the Holy Spirit for wisdom on when and how to make adjustments in both areas. There is value to life experience. I graduated Bible college with a lot more confidence than I had a few years into the pastorate! The things you are sure you know when you are 20 aren’t necessarily wrong (especially when you are doing your best to apply Scripture), but they can be shallow or misguided. Time and listening to wise counsel is essential. Ministry philosophy takes time to develop. I have the same doctrine and convictions today that I had forty years ago when I was ordained. But I’ve learned more along the way about servant leadership and about the application of biblical principles within the DNA of a particular ministry. The growth in my life has made me want to be patient with young leaders who are developing their ministry philosophy. They need time and space to develop, and they need biblical mentors who will dialog with and encourage them. Not everything that grows is healthy. This is true of churches and of ministries within a church. It’s easy to look at churches that are growing and just mimic their methods. But if their methods are not saturated in New Testament principles, including conversion of the lost to the gospel, it may just be a short-term crowd—not a church. The Great Commission is still the main thing. There are a million and one things that pull at a pastor’s attention. There is one mission Christ has given His church, and that is the Great Commission. We must focus on sharing the gospel with the lost, leading people to Christ, following up with baptism, and intentionally discipling new converts. (See Matthew 28:19–20.) God does amazing works in desert places. As Tom Malone used to say, “When God is going to do something wonderful He starts with the difficult. When God is going to do something miraculous He starts with the impossible.” Throughout Scripture, and the past thirty-seven years in my life, I’ve watched God do miraculous works in a desert place. Christlike leadership is servant leadership. The Lord used a season of trial early in my pastoral ministry to teach me the shepherd-like leadership of Christ and the importance of grace-filled, servant leadership. The book Guided by Grace was one result of this season. (See 1 Peter 5:2.) Resting is not laziness. Every moment of our lives should be lived to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). But this doesn’t mean every moment needs to be filled with activity. Waiting time is not wasted time. Our souls need time to renew. God blesses faith. Whether it is in our giving, soulwinning, serving…when we step out in faith, God rewards. (See Hebrews 11:6.) A loving family is a great source of joy. For a Christian husband and father, family should never be thought of as an inconvenience but as a God-given role for service. But even beyond that, when family and ministry are in sync, our families can be a wonderful place of acceptance and joy. A sacrificial life will always be unfinished. Living to cross every item off a to-do list only works if you carefully guard your list. But living sacrificially for Christ and others will include interruptions and a vision of faith that is never complete. For these reasons, we need to learn to build rhythms of work and rest into our lives. Relationships are more important than accomplishments. Years ago, I committed that I would not use people to build my ministry or embitter my family or our staff to build our church. Some of the greatest gifts God has given my over the past 40 years are dear friends and co-laborers in ministry. Failure can be good when it drives me to Christ. I would prefer a life of unbroken success, but that has not been my experience. Failure, however, whether that be in a ministry idea that didn’t work out or the conviction of the Holy Spirit that I mishandled a situation, can be good when it renews my dependance on the Lord. I am accepted in Christ and do not need the approval of others for joy. I do not need to fear what others think but to simply live for the glory of God. (See Ephesians 1:6.) True preaching happens in the power of the cross and emptiness of self. In my early years of ministry, I was quicker to think a “great sermon” was a bombastic sermon. I’m increasingly appreciative of preachers who preach the text and point hearers to the cross, regardless of their preaching style. (See 1 Corinthians 1:18–25.) The ministry does not depend on me. It’s something of a paradox: God uses people to make a real difference, and our surrender and obedience matter for the cause of Christ. But at the same time, God is able to accomplish His work through whomever He chooses. No one is indispensable. Time invested in my children and grandchildren is of eternal value. Jesus said, “Suffer the little children to come unto me” (Mark 10:14). Children are not a nuisance; they are a blessing. Success is knowing and doing the will of God. Measuring “success” in either my personal life or ministry is impossible this side of Heaven—except for asking the question, “Am I being faithful to do the will of God?” An opportunity does not equal an obligation. To be involved in every possible ministry opportunity is to break the body and limit the ministry. Discernment is needed in order to do what God has called me to do. There is always time for the will of God. There is not always time for the will of Paul Chappell, but there is always time for the will of God. But doing the will of God requires saying “no” to distractions. (See John 9:4, 17:4.) It is only as we develop others around us that we permanently succeed. This goes back to the importance of discipleship, but it also includes leadership development. The example of Jesus, and of Paul as well, is that we not only teach and preach, but that we specifically develop leaders who are equipped to do the same. (See 2 Timothy 2:2.) Our willingness to give to the Lord is a tangible measure of our love for Him. I used to hesitate to preach about giving. I didn’t want to be “one of those preachers who only talks about money.” But the longer I have served as a pastor, the more I have seen the connection between our willingness to give to the Lord and our love for Him. (See Matthew 6:21.) God will supply every need. In 40 years of ministry, 37 in one church, God has met impossible needs in my life and for our church. He has enabled us to build a large campus and give generously to missions. None of it has been out of surplus. But God has met every need—financial or otherwise—for our ministry. (See Philippians 4:19.) My worry has been a lack of faith, and my faith has cancelled worry. Knowing God has met needs in the past and remembering He will today are two different things. When I forget God’s promises, I tend to worry, and that has always been detrimental to my faith. On the other hand, when I make the conscious choice to trust God, worry dissipates. (See Philippians 4:6–8 and 1 Peter 5:7.) The answer to overload is not trying harder. Some goals are reached by more effort. But when you have reached the end of your strength, the answer isn’t to just try harder. It is to gain a fresh understanding of Christ’s work on the cross and live in a more vital awareness of His grace. (See Galatians 2:20.) God’s grace is sufficient. There will never be a burden, trial, or strain for which God’s grace is not enough to meet my needs. It is always present and always sufficient. (See 2 Corinthians 12:9.) Satan never stops fighting. There is never a good time to let down your guard. Satan doesn’t play fair, and he doesn’t take breaks. (See 1 Peter 5:8.) The victory is already won. Although we remain in a daily spiritual battle, we do not fight for victory so much as we fight from Christ has already defeated Satan, and we are confident of His power in us. Don’t pay more attention to critics than to friends. It is true that we can learn from our critics, but not all criticism is helpful or worth listening to. And when the voices of critics become louder in our hearts than the voices of our friends, we need to adjust. Friends don’t need explanations and enemies don’t care. My friend R. B. Ouellette has encouraged me with this thought over the years. I have found it to be true. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. I read widely and learn from nearly everyone I meet. But true wisdom comes from God and begins with a proper fear of God. People who know and fear God are who I want as the greatest influencers in my life. (See Psalm 111:10.) Nothing enters my life accidentally. I serve a sovereign God who providentially intervenes in my life. He has promised and is able to make even the results of mine or others sinful choices work together for His glory and my good. (See Romans 8:28.) My mission is not my legacy; it is to fulfill His glory. Whatever the Lord allows me to accomplish in this life is not for my name but His. I want to leave my children and grandchildren with a good name. But I do not need to worry about building a legacy other than a testimony of faithfulness. God is able. There is no reason to dream or plan according to my limited resources when I serve a God who “is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us” (Ephesians 3:20). My great desire is to end my race still in love with Christ, with Terrie, and with the local church. I don’t want to cross the finish line embittered, disgruntled, or disqualified. I want to be able to joyfully say, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). View the full article

This month I will celebrate my fortieth year being ordained as a Baptist pastor. No one could have prepared me for the changes that were ahead in the church and ministerial landscape over this forty-year period. I was raised as a Baptist and trained to be a Baptist preacher. While I believe there has been a succession of truth passed down through the ages, I have not found a line of church succession named “Baptist” that is identifiable every week of world history. I do believe, however, that churches whose doctrine of salvation and mode of baptism is scriptural have always existed since the time of Christ. And I believe that today those doctrinal distinctives are found in biblical Baptist churches. I don’t believe in a “Baptist Bride” position that only the churches which can trace their succession to the time of Christ are legitimate or that only the people who are members of such churches are part of the bride of Christ referred to in Ephesians 5:25–27. I have friends who are not Baptist and who are wonderful Christians. One of the Baptist distinctives is individual soul liberty. I believe every Christian must make doctrinal decisions based on his or her understanding of the Word of God. Even this article is not written to force my convictions on you. It is written to challenge your thought processes, especially if you are a Baptist pastor. I am not a denominational Baptist. Most large Baptist denominations have struggled and compromised in recent decades over a variety of important issues, including the inerrancy of Scripture, creation, alcohol, women pastors, and ordaining gay clergy. I am happy to not be a part of such groups and have identified throughout my whole ministry as autonomous, or independent, of Baptist denominations. Yet, I’m still a Baptist—and I am one by conviction. As I see Baptist pastors distance themselves from the name Baptist or young men who were, like me, saved and trained in Baptist churches claim that the name Baptist is unimportant, I have concerns. I invite you to think through some of these with me. Why Some Baptists Discard the Name I do believe there is a thought process a man who is trained as a Baptist but chooses to minimize or entirely shed the name works through. I’m just not convinced it is the right process. Sometimes it is a marketing decision. I get the fact that we want to present our church in brochures and on our websites and social media as something appealing. We don’t want to seem negative. Good marketers remove the “distasteful” aspects of their products. So, in following the marketing logic, many pastors remove the name Baptist. But it’s worth asking the question: who are you winning when you do this? It’s probably not unsaved people, who often don’t understand or care about the differences between Baptist or non-denominational anyway. I have found maintaining our historic and biblical identity helpful to our church family. If we lose potential members from different denominational backgrounds in that process, we likely have gained a good spirit in the church, maintained doctrinal purity, and attracted people who appreciate or become discipled in our doctrinal convictions. I don’t want people to visit our ministry websites or social media or to even drive by our church without knowing we are unashamedly a Baptist church. Sometimes it is a perceived stigma. Some who withdraw from the name Baptist do so because a mentor who strongly identified as a Baptist sullied the name to them—perhaps through moral failure or a mean spirit or just plain weirdness. So now this disillusioned pastor wants to remove everything from his past. Although each pastor and church will certainly have stylistic variances from the previous generation or from where they were trained, someone who is hurt by the past or believes there is a stigma to his heritage may take more pronounced steps to cast off any similarities to his recent predecessors. This is usually not just one thing, but is often a combination of things, including a distaste for having leadership requirements in the church, turning to more trendy cultural alignments, and avoiding strong doctrinal positions in preaching. I was recently talking with a pastor who is working through some of these issues, and I happened to call him “brother.” He responded, “Don’t call me brother; that’s the way I used to talk.” The problem with this kind of reactionary thinking is that focusing on doing things differently than your past means that your experiences, rather than God’s Word, becomes the standard for how you operate. And speaking of God’s Word, Ephesians 6:21 says, “But that ye also may know my affairs, and how I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things.” (Sorry, brother, I couldn’t resist.) Of course, shedding the name Baptist because of its stigma is not always because of hurts of the past. Sometimes it is just the concern that the public at large looks down on Baptists as being narrow-minded, out of touch, or mean-spirited. There is definitely a negative stereotype media portrayal of born again Christians, and sometimes Baptists, along these lines. And the truth is that there is a stigma to the name Baptist. But there is also a stigma to words like church and Bible. But is removing the name the right answer? What the Name Baptist Means When considering words of identification, it’s good to know what those words represent. In the case of the word Baptist, there is a rich heritage and biblical identification that I do not see in any other single word. Identifying as a Baptist encompasses a biblical position and historic identity. At our church, we teach this in our new members class and emphasize it to our church family. Biblical distinctives I like to use the acrostic with the word BAPTISTS to explain the Baptist distinctives to new Christians. I explain that although there are non-baptist churches that hold some of these beliefs, the eight of these as a whole is what sets Baptist churches apart from others; they are what makes us distinct. Biblical authority in all matters of faith and practice: We believe the Bible is inspired and infallible and is the final authority. It is from God’s Word that we understand and teach the fundamental doctrines of our faith as well as pattern our church polity. (See 2 Timothy 3:16; John 17:17; Acts 17:11; Hebrews 4:12; 2 Peter 1:20–21.) Autonomy or self governing power of the local church: We believe that every local church should be independent of a hierarchical framework or outside governmental structure. (See Colossians 1:18; Acts 13–14, 20:19–30; Ephesians 1:22–23.) Priesthood of believers: God’s Word assures believers that we have direct access to God through our relationship with Christ. We believe and teach that the priesthood of the believer is the unspeakably precious privilege of every child of God. (See Hebrews 4:14–16; 1 Timothy 2:5–6; 1 Peter 2:5–10.) Two offices within the church: Scripture only mentions two church offices—pastor (also referred to as elder or bishop) and deacon. These two offices are to be filled by godly men of integrity in each local church. (See Philippians 1:1; Acts 6:1–7; 1 Timothy 3:1–13; Titus 1:6–9; 1 Peter 5:1–4.) Individual soul liberty: We believe that each person must make a personal decision of repentance and faith in Christ. (See Romans 10:9–17, 14:1–23.) Parents do not make this decision for their children, and the government cannot make it for its people. Additionally, each person is responsible before God in matters of holiness and conscience. Separation of church and state: The state should have no power to intervene in the free expression of religious liberty. (See Matthew 22:21; Acts 5:29–31; Romans 13:1–4.) Two ordinances—baptism and the Lord’s Table: These ordinances have no part in salvation and only serve as pictures of what Christ did for us. (See Matthew 28:19; 1 Corinthians 11:23–26; Acts 2:38–43, 8:36–38; Romans 6:1–6) Separation and personal holiness: We believe that Christ’s ultimate sacrifice demands our complete consecration, and we desire that our daily living would reflect the holiness of our great God. (See 2 Corinthians 6:14; 1 Peter 1:16.) We could list more, such as believers’ baptism by immersion and the church as a body of saved, baptized believers. But ultimately these and others are embedded in the distinctions listed above. Historic identity The history of those who have held Baptist convictions is a history of choosing to suffer for Christ over enjoying the favor of men. Whether at the hands of oppressive emperors or under the Roman Catholic Church or even from the Reformers themselves, Baptists have stood courageously through persecution for their biblical convictions. I think of Felix Manz in Switzerland who preached salvation by grace alone followed by believers’ baptism for church membership. (This was in contrast to the Reformers who were teaching salvation by grace but church membership by infant sprinkling.) For his convictions on baptism and church membership, Manz was imprisoned multiple times and—because he kept preaching it and planting churches across Switzerland—was ultimately executed by drowning. I’ve stood on the shore of the River Limmat where his mother and brother watched him taken out to the middle of the river for his execution. I think, too, of the whole congregation of the earliest Baptist church in Wales. Established in 1649, it was originally located in the town of Ilston but soon relocated to nearby Swansea. John Myles served as the first pastor, until he, along with several members from the church, fled persecution by immigrating to the American colonies. They ended up in Massachusetts where the same group established a Baptist church in 1663—the earliest Baptist church in the state. The town of Swansea, Massachusetts was named after this church’s hometown in Wales. True to Baptist beliefs of individual soul liberty, the town was one of the first towns in New England founded on the premise of religious liberty for all. We are all aware that, as rich as our history is, there have been those who claimed the name Baptist but we wished they wouldn’t have! I have been clear with our church family over the years to state our disagreement with Baptists whose doctrine was false, such as Westboro Baptist, or whose spirit or ministry philosophy is toxic. But we have not allowed these exceptions to drive us away from our true heritage. Functional implications Remaining a Baptist is more than keeping the word on your church sign. I have always believed that having a Baptist church means having a church of Baptist people. I remember back when we were averaging under fifty people in attendance and needed a pianist. A dear family visited our church, and the wife was an excellent piano player. They were saved but had previously been baptized in a church that taught a non-biblical view of “speaking in tongues” and that this was the evidence of salvation as well as that one could lose their salvation. Our belief about baptism is that the mode is immersion, the order is after salvation, and the authority to baptize rests in a church of biblical doctrine. (This is the historic Baptist position.) Thus, we encouraged this family that if they believed the doctrinal statement of our church, they should consider being baptized to identify with Christ and be added to our church. They chose not to be baptized in a Baptist church. We lost a pianist but kept our conviction. Had we filled our church with people of different doctrines and practices, we would today be more of an interdenominational church. Another practical aspect of remaining a Baptist church is following biblical teaching regarding the Lord’s Table. First Corinthians 11 makes it clear that observing the Lord’s Table was required, not optional, for the members of the Corinthian church. And the context of 1 Corinthians is clear that the Lord’s Table is for a saved, baptized body of believers: “Unto the church of God which is at Corinth…” (1 Corinthians 1:2). It may seem easier, maybe even more polite, to let an unsaved person take the elements, but it is not scriptural. Church polity is another practical distinction of a Baptist church. Baptists are not elder ruled in the sense of a small group choosing the next pastor. In fact, the most congregational decision of a Baptist church is the election of pastors and deacons. We see this in Acts 6 in the verbiage, “Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men…” (Acts 6:3). In the pastoral epistles of Timothy and Titus, we see that pastors lead the daily ministries of the church, working with deacons. In Ephesians 4:11–12, we see pastors are to equip the entire congregation for “the work of the ministry.” Additional Considerations So where does this leave a Baptist pastor thinking through whether being a Baptist is a an asset or a liability? Here are a few thoughts to keep in mind. The pressure on young Pastors to “succeed” is real. Our human nature desires the acceptance of others and the affirmation of numeric growth. It was probably easier to be a Baptist in America fifty years ago when many large and influential churches were Baptist. While there are still thousands of strong Baptist churches, the pressure to attract a crowd is great. And sometimes the quickest path to do that is by not taking a clear doctrinal stand. But there is a ripple effect to this. When one church planter or pastor changes his polity, doctrine, or stand, he quickly encourages others to consider the same path. Seminars are conducted and books are written on how to transition away from the perceived stigma mentioned above. Guys are on social media every day or at meetings encouraging one another in each other’s transition from their Baptist heritage. Pragmatism is prevalent. I remember being asked by prominent people in our community if the name Baptist was necessary. No doubt we lost some donations because we kept the name. However, God has provided and has enabled our church to build a large campus as we have grown numerically and to be a leader in missions giving within the Baptist world for many years. I decided forty years ago I wasn’t going to market the church identity away to hopefully get some other denominational people to join. Some good Christian people did this in other eras. For instance, the Christian & Missionary Alliance was built on this philosophy. (It began as two parachurch organizations focused on outreach and missions and eventually morphed into a denomination.) But those were different days when some sound truth was to be found in various types of churches. I still would not have participated in such a movement then, but I especially would not today as the ecumenical trend of our day downplays vital doctrines and clear biblical practices. Rarely does a pragmatic pastor change just one major tenant of faith or distinctive. Usually there is a domino effect that follows as more beliefs become “non-essentials.” Some of the men who downplay the name Baptist have enough theological grounding to reject liberal doctrine and woke ideology with its false teachings of social justice and anti-family dogma. But many of these pastors have adapted a type of virtue signaling by removing the name Baptist or even doctrinal terms like atonement, sin, judgment, hell, or anything that might seem offensive to unsaved people. This idea of being relevant by downplaying truth was introduced in my lifetime in the seeker-sensitive movement forty years ago. This movement has had an impact on every group—Baptist and others. I remember thinking that being relatable was going to be key for me in growing a church in Southern California. Thankfully, a pastor preached a message that offended me. But the message also reminded me that being culturally sensitive is not as important as being Christ sensitive. (I eventually wrote a little book The Saviour-Sensitive Church on this thought. Also, this experience in my life has emphasized the need to lovingly pray for and purposefully dialog with pastors who are tempted to make unnecessary changes.) Most unsaved people don’t know the difference between the name Baptist and any other label. I’ve always focused on reaching unsaved people rather than attracting people from other churches. In fact, it is interesting to me that while many in the seeker philosophy advocate dropping one’s distinctive identity in order to reach the lost, at a second look, it appears they are trying to reach a broader number of people from various church backgrounds. A pastor needs to be careful of trying to accommodate every person. Decision making based on “not wanting to offend everyone” is not leadership. This type of philosophy has led American churches into wokism and a low view of Scripture. I still believe in the importance of making our message understandable. To that end, I employ methods like using projection on screens while I preach to show maps or pictures. I also believe there is value to making our message relatable. We try to use tracts with attractive graphics and think through what our church posts on social media. There is no reason to be sloppy, outdated, or mean spirited in conveying our message. Even so, relatability is not the goal. It is only part of keeping the message understandable. Two illustrations of this are Peter and Paul as they preached the gospel in two different settings. When Peter preached in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2), he knew that his audience already understood monotheistic religion and looked for a Messiah. Thus, most of his message was simply pointing them to Christ as their Messiah. On the other hand, when Paul preached to the Greeks in Athens (Acts 17), he spoke of the many false gods and used illustrations and quotes from their culture in his message. Yet, Peter and Paul both related to their audience, and neither of them adapted or compromised the message itself in order to have a stronger appeal. An effective preacher longs for people to understand truth, but he does not water down truth so as to seem relevant. Making the message understandable is important; changing the message to make it palatable is wrong. The incremental changes pastors make today will be made in excess by the next generation. There is always a tendency to push things further along in the direction in which they are already headed. So when a pastor leans into a direction away from his heritage, those coming up in his ministry tend to take further steps in the same direction. The likelihood of young men who grow up in a church that has relegated the identification of Baptist to a non-essential becoming Baptist pastors themselves is not strong. Young people in these churches who have a heart for things of the Lord tend to have more excitement about graphics and the presentation aspects of ministry than the desire to personally declare the gospel. I believe we send a dangerous message when we change our emphasis from doctrine and preaching to relevancy and excitement. Dropping distinctives is not necessary for growth. Thirty-seven years ago, the Lord brought Terrie and me to a dwindling congregation of about twelve at Lancaster Baptist Church. In those early years, I made repeated decisions to take bold stands for truth and to teach the Baptist distinctives of our church while at the same time passionately and strategically saturating our community with the gospel. For eighteen months, I knocked on five hundred doors per week in my personal soulwinning in addition to training our church family Thursday nights and Saturday mornings on how to share the gospel. The Lord blessed those efforts, and for the past thirty-two years now, I have pastored what some call a “mega church.” And all of this happened in Los Angeles County, California. I have found that God honors His Word and that people appreciate a pastor who is not given to change. I believe the strongest churches in history have had strong commitments to truth. Do not believe those who tell you that dropping your distinctives is necessary to reach people. Our church today has the same doctrinal stand and convictions that it did when it was running twenty in attendance. Does the Name Baptist Really Matter? Yes, there is something to a name. Most parents check the meaning of a name before they give it to their children. And all decent parents want their children to value and uphold their family name. We live in a day when society is forcing the change of traditional terms. Usually, there is an anti-God and anti-family agenda behind that. While it is true that there are a variety of terms or nomenclature that can be adjusted for sake of clarity (Sunday school or small groups mean the same thing), there are some names that matter. In the case of the name Baptist, I have chosen to identify with the truth it represents and the people who died to pass it down. And forty years later, I am thankful to still be a Baptist. View the full article

SEPARATION: UNPLUGGED FROM THE POP CULTURE: Spiritual Safety in the social Media Age continued: 8. A forum for stalking; 9. A forum for slander; 10. A forum for immoral relationships; 11. A forum for heresy and nuttiness; 12. The devil's mixing bowl; 13. Promotes ecumenical thinking; 14. A great time waster; A Testing, Pilgrim mindset; A guard the Eye-Gate mindset; A mindset of Hating False WaysView the full article

SEPARATION: UNPLUGGED FROM THE POP CULTURE continued: Spiritual Safety in the social Media Age: Understanding Social Media Dangers: 1. A vehicle for evil communications: 2. Alters world view and censorship; 3: A form for tracking; 4. Designed to be addictive; 5. A magnet to draw people into the world; 6. A forum for self-promotion; 7. Encourages foolish sharing of our personal timeView the full article

SEPARATION: UNPLUGGED FROM THE POP CULTURE: Unplugging from the World, continued; 8. Unplug them from immodest FashionsView the full article

Every church has core values, but not every church has written them down. And actually, it wasn’t until several years ago that I and some of the other leaders in our church worked on writing our core values. Both the process and the product proved to be a helpful exercise and tool. Today, we have our core values visibly displayed and give them to each new member. They are a key way that we communicate the philosophy of ministry and goal for the body life of our church family. Whether you are a church planter or have been pastoring for many decades, clarifying the core values of a church is beneficial at any stage. As ministries mature, sometimes clutter in purpose and goals builds. Creating a written list of core values can be an aligning tool that helps bring a renewed focus on the church’s doctrine and philosophy of ministry. In this episode of the Spiritual Leadership Podcast, my son Larry and I discuss the process that went into developing and sharing the core values of Lancaster Baptist Church as well as walking through the core values we presented to our church family. (If you cannot view this video in your email or RSS reader, click here.) If this episode of the Spiritual Leadership Podcast was a blessing to you, please share it with a friend and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. You can subscribe to future episodes via Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or YouTube. View the full article

SEPARATION: UNPLUGGED FROM THE POP CULTURE continued: Unplugging from the World; 1. Unplug them from Pop Music: 2. Unplug them from the Public School System; 3. Unplug them from Hollywood; 4. Unplug them from an Addiction to Sports; 5. Unplug them from the Pop Culture's Toys; 6. Unplug them from Video Games; 7. Unplug them from Unwholesome LiteratureView the full article

SEPARATION: UNPLUGGED FROM THE POP CULTURE: Unplugged from Western pop culture that permeates society today; Separation is a major teaching of scripture; Worldiness has permeated fundamental Baptist churches; The root of the problem is a Preachers; Major passages about separation: 1. Separation is to love NOT the world; 2. Separation is NOT to be conformed to the worldView the full article

SEPARATION: UNPLUGGED FROM THE POP CULTURE continued: 3. Separation is to not be a friend of the world; 4.Separation is not to fashion oneself according to the former lusts; 5. Separation is not to be spotted by the world; 6. Separation is not to fellowship with the works of darkness; 7. Separation is to abstain from the appearance of evil; 8. Separation is to avoid evil communications;9. Separation is to not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers; 10. Separation is to deny ungodliness and worldly lustsView the full article

THE CHURCH: Marks of a church that "Keeps the Kids": Continued: A church that is NOT a youth entertainment center but a discipline center; A missionary church: every church an Antioch ChurchView the full article

Two weeks ago, I spent time at the home bedside of Michael Michael—a dear friend and one of our longtime church members and deacons. Michael talked with great warmth and joy about the faithful love of God in his life, his love for his family and church family, people to whom he had recently witnessed of Christ, and how he was looking forward to seeing his Lord. I felt like I was sitting by the threshold of Heaven listening to a man whose experience with God and prospects of eternity gave him amazing clarity both in looking back and looking forward. The Lord did call Michael to Heaven a few days ago (August 18), just over a week after that conversation. I can’t help but feel glad for him to have left the pain of cancer behind and to right now be in the very presence of the Lord he loves. But I also can’t help but feel sad for his family and our church family in this loss. I’ll never forget when the Michael family first visited Lancaster Baptist Church thirty-one years go. Michael and his wife Aida are both from Egypt. They immigrated to the States (separately) and married here. Brother Michael was saved as a fourteen-year-old boy in Egypt and was already a godly, stable Christian when their family joined Lancaster Baptist Church in 1992. At the time, they had two little girls, who are now both serving the Lord alongside their husbands in ministry. Brother Michael loved his family with all his heart and was a committed provider for them. He and Aida were just a few weeks away from their forty-second wedding anniversary when he went to Heaven. Michael was a pharmacist by profession. Yet, even in his work, his real focus was on his coworkers and patients. He loved people, and that love was most seen in his faithfulness to share the gospel with everyone. In our conversation a few weeks ago, Michael told me in detail about people—fellow cancer patients, nurses, doctors, and others—he had recently pointed to Christ and several he was still praying would be saved. Michael was a longtime deacon in our church and a blessing to me in that capacity in untold ways. But what most of our church members knew him as was a friend and a faithful man of God. He was consistent in church soulwinning and outreach opportunities. And he loved our church family. If you ever met Michael Michael, you meant a man who truly cared about you. He loved me as his pastor, and he often expressed that love—in person, in notes, and in prayers. If you’re getting the idea that love was a driving force of this man’s life, you would be correct. And in our last conversation together that day at his bedside, love is what he most talked about. He expressed his love to me and our family, his love for our church, his love for his brothers and sisters, and especially his love for Aida and his girls, sons-in-law, and grandchildren. But what he most talked about was the love of God—not his love for God, evident as that was, but the amazing reality of God’s love for him in Christ. He talked about how faithful God has been to him through the years and how incomparable the love of Christ is that it holds us even in our weaknesses, failures, and lapses of faith, and how wonderful it will be to see Christ face to face. Today, Michael Michael does see Christ face to face. And he leaves a testimony to me and to our church family of a faithful race run for Christ. We will hold the Homegoing service for Brother Michael this Monday at 11:00 AM (PST) at Lancaster Baptist Church. The service will be live streamed at lbclive.tv. View the full article

THE CHURCH: Marks of a church that "Keeps the Kids": Continued: A Praying church; A church that has a consistent stand on separation from the world; A church that is NOT weird and CulticView the full article

THE CHURCH: Marks of a church that "Keeps the Kids": Continued: A church with a strong teaching and preaching ministry;View the full article

One of the blessings I look forward to every summer is extra time with our eleven grandchildren. Summer is a good time for grandparents to create special memories! Being with our grandchildren always reminds me of the innocence and impressionability of young hearts. Our grandchildren are ages three to thirteen, and every one of them needs love and acceptance, reassurance and guidance. Satan is waging an all-out assault on the hearts and minds of children. This summer, that assault has been less-veiled than ever before. From the Los Angeles Dodgers honoring a group that performs lewd and blasphemous acts in front of children, to Target selling LGBTQ-themed clothing in toddler sizes, to multiple states setting in motion legislation to allow confused children to have surgeries to mutilate their bodies without their parent’s knowledge, children are under attack. Now, more than ever before, children need parents and grandparents who purposefully and persistently pour truth into their lives. Now, more than ever before, children need parents and grandparents who purposefully and persistently pour truth into their lives. Click To Tweet What are some of the truths children need to hear over and over? 1. I Am Uniquely Created I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. (Psalm 139:14) The world is telling children that they are an accident—a random result of nature. They are being told that everything about them, including their gender, is up to them to decide and to form. Those are overwhelming—not to mention untrue—thoughts for children to bear. The truth is that every child is uniquely created by God with love and purpose for their lives. Nothing about them is an accident. Children need to frequently hear that God loves them, purposefully designed them, and has a special purpose for their lives. Children need to frequently hear that God loves them, purposefully designed them, and has a special purpose for their lives. Click To Tweet Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. (Jeremiah 1:5) 2. I Am Lovingly Accepted To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. (Ephesians 1:6) Children are most vulnerable to the lies of Satan when they do not feel accepted by their parents. Children are most vulnerable to the lies of Satan when they do not feel accepted by their parents. Click To Tweet Throughout the New Testament, God frequently assures His children that they are fully accepted in Christ. When we become sons and daughters of God, we are His forever, and He never holds us at arms length to prove our worth. Our own children and grandchildren also need to know that they are lovingly accepted just as God made them. Today’s world promises children acceptance if they will “be brave” to change something about themselves—such as their gender or sexual identity. We need to assure them that we love them as they are. We don’t wish they had a different personality, gender, age, or any other characteristic that is part of who God made them. They need to know that we delight in and fully accept them for who they are. 3. I Am Patiently Directed Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; (Ephesians 5:1) Children of every age need guidance. And they need to know their parents and grandparents care enough about them to provide that guidance. Patiently directing children tells them they are valuable to you, that you believe they are worth your time, and that there is a future for them that is good and worth pursuing. Patiently directing children tells them they are valuable to you, that you believe they are worth your time, and that there is a future for them that is good and worth pursuing. Click To Tweet Ignoring or continually losing your patience with children tells them that they are a nuisance and that all you care about is that they don’t disturb you. God never designed children to raise themselves. He gave them fathers and mothers and grandparents that these adults might invest in children through teaching and instruction and love. I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. (Psalm 32:8) And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4) Tell a Child the Truth Today As children across America are going back to school this month, I urge every Christian parent and grandparent to regularly and persistently tell the children in your family these three truths: God made you special. I love you just the way God made you. I am here to help teach and prepare you for the good plans God has for your life. And if you serve in any aspect of children’s ministry—bus, Sunday school, Christian school—teach these truths to the children you serve. Every child needs to know these three truths. If you serve children in any capacity—as a parent, grandparent, teacher, Sunday school teacher...—tell these three truths to those children over and over again: Click To Tweet View the full article

THE CHURCH: Continued: Women, especially, must be cautious in dealing with the Pastors; Modeling submission to authority necessitates taking a stand with the authority against christen's misbehavior; Parents need to support the church by supporting its Biblical standards and capturing every good thing they can from its ministry; Marks of a church that "Keeps the Kids": A church with a regenerate membership; A church with qualified leader and teachersView the full article

THE HOME: CHILD DISCIPLINE Continued: Discipline requires parents must be ready for Emergency Intervention mode; Discipline requires that parents get good counsel; THE CHURCH: It makes a great difference what church kids are raised in; the home and church are divinely-ordained institutions with different programs and they should work together in HARMONY; The home was founded in Genesis 2 at the dawn of man's history; The Father is commissioned to be the spiritual head of the home; the Mother is commissioned to be the Keeper at Home and the guide of the home; THE CHURCH is Christ's MAIN business on the earth todayView the full article

THE HOME: CHILD DISCIPLINE Continued: Discipline DOES NOT stop when the child reaches adolescence, Continued; Discipline requires that fathers NOT provoke their children to wrathView the full article

THE HOME: CHILD DISCIPLINE Continued: Discipline requires keeping the child's heart, continued: Discipline requires teaching the children a work ethic and responsibility; Discipline DOES NOT stop when the child reaches adolescenceView the full article